How about if you already own one, how much longer should it last? You have to consider manufacturer, size, how much you use it in a day or a year even, yadda yadda yadda to possibly determine what to expect. Here’s what you should know.

The numbers.

With proper care and maintenance, the average lawn mower should last 500 hours.

However, this number is not constant because of the different variables that come into play.

A recent survey by J.D power and associates show’s that on average a lawn mower’s last up to ten years.

The report further reveals that on average consumers spend 3000$ for a lawnmower.

This means that the average consumer pays 30$ a year on lawn maintenance if their mowers can last the ten years. And spend a lot less if they can make their lawn mowers last even longer.

If you choose to rent a mower at 20$ per hour for 40 hours ( once a week) in a year, it should cost you 8000$ in the same period of ten years. Which is not so much an investment considering you had the option to save 5000$.

Where am I going with this? You should invest in a lawn mower and make it last a decade or two.

Tips to make your lawn mower (almost) immortal.

The ten-year mark it shouldn’t be the retirement age for all lawn mowers. Some mowers continue functioning well as new beyond this mark and with slight twitching exceed expectations to as long as twice that time. Below are tips that can move your lawn closer to this achievable milestone.

Replace your mower’s spark plug as often as possible. Preferably once every year. A spark plug is what starts the engine of your lawn mower so having it in top condition means your mower will function at its prime longer. A dirty or loose spark will strain the mower’s engine causing it to waste a lot of fuel. Make a habit of cleaning the spark plug regularly to avoid this.

You should also sharpen your blade often. Of course, your mower can’t cut grass with a blunt blade. A mistake most people make is to make the blade razor sharp which only causes it to corrode faster. Wear heavy-duty gloves when sharpening your blades to avoid cuts.

Beware of old oil! Often this caused by prolonged periods of not using the mower ( especially winter season). Drain the stale oil and replace it with a Suitable type after a period like this. You can also run the mower during this period to avoid clogging.

Change the air filter as soon as you notice clogging or when it becomes dirty. The accumulation of dirt puts a strain to the engine.

Inspect the deck to check accumulation of dirt and grass in this area. The accumulation of debris in here will lead to corrosion which will limit your mower’s functionality.

Tighten loose nuts and bolts. As soon as you notice them. To identify the loose nuts listen out for rattling sounds possibly in the blades.

If you are not the DIY-kind of person, there’s also the option of getting your lawn mower serviced at an auto body shop at a fee.

Cool hacks!

Here some pretty awesome hacks you can try out while you tune up your lawn mower.

After sharpening your blades check whether it’s evenly filed by hanging it on a nail. If it tips to one side sharpen that side until you attain a balance on the nail. An evenly sharpened blade gives the lawn a manicured look for the neighbors to envy.

Another neat trick is while loosening blade nuts, place the boxed end of the wrench on the bolt and strike the other end with repeated moderate blows. Do this for some time before you preload the wrench in the direction you want the bolt to go. This is more effective than forcefully directing the nut or bolt.

Some precautions!

Before you start any repairs mentioned above, make sure you remove the spark plug. This will eliminate the possibility of the mower starting while you are fixing it.

Another safety precaution is to handle old blades carefully while replacing them; you wouldn’t want to get cut by an old rusty blade.

Tightening and loosening nuts is dangerous and you might severely cut yourself if you do not tighten it well. This because the engine might lurch the flywheel back in your direction! So be thorough when tightening.

Finally, (a no-brainer ) never touch the internal combustion engine while “warm.” It reaches up to 1300° f that’s 700 ° Celsius ( half the melting point of iron!).

Conclusion.

The above tips are all you need to know to keep the transmission of your 8-year-old mower functioning for the next ten years. You will not be forced to continually replace pullies, spindle beams, shafts, brakes, and clips. You wouldn’t even have to know what those are! Now buy the best lawn mowers for small yards and make it last two decades! Because that’s how long lawn mowers last.

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